Pouring a fresh cup of coffee, I thought about my morning discoveries. None of them really came as a surprise. I’ve always been respectful, protective, and frugal with my belongings. I’m certain that my Daddy had something to do with that. He was a tinkerer. Not for the hobby of it, but as a means to keep things working. We were a working class family, which doesn’t mean we didn’t have nice things. We just didn’t have an abundance of them. What we had, we took care of because disposable was not in our vocabulary.
Read MoreA Best Friend's Promise /
I was scolded by my 15 lb. friend on Tuesday evening after leaving him alone in the cabin for two hours while I shopped at a local used record store. How dare me? Fortunately, all ills were forgiven and any grudges resolved with a single peanut butter dog biscuit and swim in the ocean. The world was once again at peace.
Read MoreCasting a Line. Catching a Day. /
As we stood there talking, I remembered how my father used to love to fish and how he would prepare his fresh catch with a clean and precise filet knife. I asked Herbert if he filleted his fish. “Oh no” he replied. I just cuts 'em down the back and pan fry 'em till they’re lightly brown. That's all I do."
Read MoreA Father's Nightstand /
Father's Nightstand
Though the sound of my alarm clock indicates time moving forward, little changes on a father’s nightstand.
Analog and Moms /
Ripen Fast
The black and white image above was taken with the first Polaroid camera I ever owned, a classic folding leather covered SX-70 Sonar. I found the camera last summer at a rural roadside yard sale while on my way to visit Mom for her birthday. Our celebration for Mom's big day included homemade ice cream and live music at a small hometown waterside street festival. It was a fantastic way to celebrate her day.
Ripen Fast
The color image was taken on the same day as the SX-70 photo. It was taken using my 1963 100 series Polaroid Land Camera soon after I finished repairing the shutter release mechanism. Bringing this camera back to life was thrilling.
Analog, Moms, and homemade ice cream are just beyond fab.
The Numbing /
The event photographer
I rarely find myself in front of the camera. My place is to always stand behind it.
For this photograph, I maintained my normal position while waiting for guests to arrive to the holiday party I was assigned to document. Seeing this particular setting provided a welcoming invitation with its placement, framing, and available light. It was far too perfect not to use.
Despite the joys of the holiday season, a brightly decorated Christmas tree, a punch bowl of warm apple cider, brightly colored sugar cookies in the shapes of trees and candy canes, and all of the usual party festivities, my mood at the moment when I tripped the shutter for this image was hauntingly numb.
This reflective self-portrait was captured just minutes after hearing the tragic news of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I was heartbroken. I still am.
Seeing is Believing /
Coburn and Coffee ©2013 Gary Garbett
From the time I was a little boy, album cover art has inspired me. There is something about the size, the packaging, and the square format that has always intrigued me. It still does.
Yard Sale Groovy ©2013 Gary Garbett
Santa brought me my first record player when I was 3 years old. It was a Beany + Cecil box style record player by Vanity Fair. As my adult years passed and my music collection grew, I promised myself that someday I'd have another Beany + Cecil record player.
Fifty Christmases after Santa first delivered my original player, my wish came true. Ironically, it too is a fab package in a square format and chock filled with great design.
Beany + Cecil
My Morning Stare /
Coffee Date 2013 Gary Garbett
I spent the morning reading email and sipping coffee. Annie just kept staring. I deleted each of my read messages, filled my coffee cup again, and never once did she ever stop staring.